lute (07/12/82)
I heard this a few nights ago on NBC's Nightly News. As many of you know, the fellow that took that chair on a ride to see the Columbia's touchdown had the bare minimum of equipment for such a ride. He had: several dozen weather-balloons, a lawn chair(as a cockpit/gondola), several one-gallon jerry jugs filled with water for ballast, two pairs of glasses (in case he lost a pair, which he did), a BB gun to blast balloons for descent and a CB radio to keep in contact with his girlfriend on the ground. Well, because of the winds he didn't make it to the Shuttle area, but he did reach an altitude of 16,000 feet. In so doing, he scared the daylights out of the pilots of two seperate commercial aircraft that spotted him while flying their regular routes! As it turns out, although this guy landed safely and is now preparing to become a rich man from selling the story rights about his joyride, the FAA has stepped in, presenting the man with criminal charges. The charge is: FLYING AN UNAUTHORIZED VEHICLE IN A CONTROLLED AIRSPACE. This is probably the first time in the history of aviation that a lawn chair has been considered an unauthorized vehicle! Jim Collymore mhuxh!lute